The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1887-07-27
WEDNESDAY, JULY 81, 1887.
AN ENGLISH VIEW

Competitor, in the London Nineteenth
Century. Mr.. sIamss Keithpoints out the
material advantages which the United
possesses over Great Britain. His
argument, in some of its parts, strikingly
shows the advantages of the protective
policy to this country, and how ruinous
to us would be free trade. He enumer-
ates as among our advantages: 1st in
vention, which, he says, is the life and
soul of progress in any nation, and which
is welcomed and encouraged, and conse-
quently great stimulated by the govern
ment and people Of America, putting us
in this respect, he declares, fully twenty
years in advance of Great Britain. I'd,
taxation, which is trihing in this country
compared with the numerous and heavy
burdens imposed in Great Britain. We
nave neither imperial (national govern
ment) taxes nor church rates, while our
local taxes are much less in proportion
than in England. Sd, education, every
child in this country being well educa-
ted at the public expense, while in
Great Britain it is burdensome and
difficult. 4th, local government. each
State here regulating all its own affairs,
without the delays and difficulties attend
ing the necessity of running to the ma
tional Legislature, as in Great Britain,
for every kind of legislation. 9th, agri-
culture, the farmers in this country gen.
orally paying no rent, but owning the
land they till, while the climate assures
good crops. 9Th, food. Provisions
OF all sorts in America" he says, fare
very cheap-much cheaper than with us
in the old country, and though clothing,
Injuries, labor and attendance are con-
siderably dearer than in this country,
still Tie acreage american porkingnaaR
Ices 100 per cent. better than the Average
soorkingnsan does in Great Britain, be.
cause he has higher aOages and cheaper
food in greater gariety.' 7th, resources,
the natural resources OF this country in
wood, coal, minerals and metals of all
sorts being larger than those Of any other
country. The means of travel, he adds,
by water and by rail are as perfect and
complete as it is possible to imagine.
He declares that this country is at the
present time sat least twenty years
ahead of Great. Britain in invention and
in commercial and political advance
ment."
Then addressing himself to the prob
lem Of how Great Britain may overcome
these advantages Of her "great compet-
itor, after alluding to the necessity Of
more liberal and enlightened policy as
to inventions, education, taxation, local
government, &C., he says: "Without
cheap food we could not possibly have
cheap labor, while without cheap labor
We could not do an export trade, and
without an export trade we should cease
to exist as manufacturing nation He
! then makes admissions which are fatal
to the arguments made by the free trade
nufOchtSp IA phAS cOuhbtJ. AS euJ5.
'Our great competitor, the United
States, is even now still our best custo-
mer, but how long this will continue it
is hard to say, seeing she is already sup
plying our colonies and ourselves with
many of our own kind Of manufactures.
The United States, again, can grow any
thing in the shape Of food which she
may ever require within her own
borders, and could supply all our own
wants in that respect besides. The only
advantage zoe haze ooer the United States
is as IAoye said, that soe haze cheap labor,
and because Of our cheap labor, and that
only,can we send into her markets raw
materials and manufactured goods de-
spite her heavy import duties. The i'm
port duties OF the United States, how.
ever, are being gradually but surely low.
cred, and she is tending towards the
adoption Of free trade. Wien the Unit
cd States adopt tree trade, or anything
approaching IL, the price of labor in
America sciH come daon."